Kristen Peyton: The Function of Light

Opening Reception: Saturday, October 13, 2-5pm

October 13th- November 26th, 2018

Color in essence is a function of light. Where light exist, color follows—illuminating space and form.

"What holds the work together as a body in The Function of Light is not so much a common subject matter, but an exploration of color and color’s shape. Much of my work lacks figure or set-up, as I find myself more inclined to search for painting possibilities in the visual experiences of my everyday surroundings. My work, rather, is an active response to moments of visual surprise encountered naturally in daily living. I respond to a surprising interaction of color or an intriguing interplay of geometric shapes by which I can foresee a painting. Most often I am interested in small, unassuming scenes that present instances of visual tension and release.

My work aims to express my first impression and reveal my search for the aesthetic essentials of a chosen moment. I invite my perception of light and color to guide my image-making process and let intuition lead the way. I invent, omit, and simplify whenever necessary to arrive at a pleasing balance between observation and memory. My aim is to bring my viewer to profound presence by making known the poetics of color."

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Press Release

Lineage began as an initiative to bring artists from New York and the the Northeast to Williamsburg, Va for a summer workshop exhibit curated by Sofia Zubi and Kenlontae’ Turner and curatorial advisor, John Lee Matney. Lineage, on one hand, is a study on how narrative elements connect and distinguish the works in the exhibit. How do works connect to the artists' personal stories as well as their personal mythologies and creative culture they are immersed in up in the North? Lineage is also a study in engagement with both art collectors and art lovers. Many of the selected artists graduated from Pratt. We selected many of the artists for their looser style and wilder stream of consciousness practices with color and narrative (Caroline Absher, Sofia Zu'bi and Asif. In fact, Sofia Zu'bi and Asif Hague will be arriving a week early as artists in residence at the gallery producing some smaller works which will be featured.

Other artists such as Andrew Shears, who is more of a student of drawing, was given the challenge to create work informed by the content of the other artists which will be unveiled at the reception. Jennifer Meridian was added as an established artist who bridges the gap between colorful painting and drawing and who is also is a more widely collected artist. Her installation piece "Running Woman" will be on the power wall in the gallery.

To be coined an artist entails a lot of discrepancies, making it difficult to 1. Find your own position in the art world and 2. Be noticed. As a curator, Sofia wants to break these boundaries of the stereotypical restraints of the art world. From New York to Virginia, the artist’s who will be a part of Lineage have had the opportunity these last few months to come together and participate in the process toward the show.

Both Asif Hoque and Caroline Absher, worked together in a residency in Gowanus, Brooklyn, where they collaborated on paintings together and work beside one another. They both paint influences in their lives: Asif’s new series focuses on his father in Florida, picking mangoes through the neighbor’s backyards. Mangoes a symbol of lineage, stemming from their heritage in Bangladesh. Caroline paints her friendships and the women in her life who she has had personal relationships with. She paints them from photos she has asked them to send her and forms their personas and creates the new world around them.

Andrew Shears just recently graduated with Sofia and finished his studies at the New York Academy of Art. For this show his work is very different from the other artists, much more precise to the world’s visual truth, yet his message stems from similar inspirations. He paints nostalgic memories in the form of objects that they stem from. Sofia Zubi will also be showing her work with the bunch, including her recent paintings of Mother Nature and her diary drawings. Her recent paintings for the show on Mother Nature, pertain to her views on creation and lineage as an aspect of where we began as human beings. Her drawings are reflections of her life, like a diary entry in a visual representation.

Nicole Mourino received her MFA in Social Practice from Queens College and her BFA from Pratt Institute. Known for her drawings and paintings, Mourino constructs vibrant and electric compositions, such as her recent paintings of bodega windows. These more recent works provides a glimpse into the cultural and tactile observations that Mourino experiences. One can describe her work as Rorschach test images that are infused with dream-like qualities.

Show Statement

Lineage showcases the vibrant artwork of six artists exploring the complex nature of cultural identity, reality, and the human condition. From drawings, painting, and mixed media, these artists bring to life their very real truths, providing unique, and sometimes universal, observations. From depictions of cultural icons, to finding the beauty in the ordinary, these artists exemplify why art is vital in bridging the gaps between seemingly different worlds.

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My works are investigations into personal guiding mythologies that illustrate ways that I have adopted unreasonable belief systems - for example, religious orthodoxies, superstition and cultural ideals of femininity. The female subjects depicted serve as proxies for my own contemporary experience of navigating society; an experience as personal as it is universal to all women. Formal decisions such as the distortion of anatomical structures and a saccharine palette draw on historical painting, while the incorporation of particular subjects suggest narratives pulled from religious stories that span many cultures and epochs. These qualities serve as historical references, but more importantly chronicle mythologies that continues to inform my experiences and actions.

Although the works are rather traditionally structured figurative paintings, it is both conventional material handling and digital automation that animate their somewhat lurid and violent nature. My studio practice combines many processes including 3D modeling and printing, diorama construction, and observational painting techniques. The palette is highly saturated and the rectangle overloaded; these painterly qualities coupled with the incorporation of sculptural elements reinforce the intrusive content of the paintings. The three-dimensional forms push beyond the rectangle and allow the painted narrative to spill into the space of the viewer.

Overview

DEPOSITION OF THE TURTLE QUEEN:

As most of my works link to one another to create a larger narrative, Deposition of the Turtle Queen serves as a portion of a larger story focused on the myth of Lilith. Many religious texts have cited Lilith as having been Adam’s first wife. Lilith, unlike Eve, was not created from Adam’s rib but instead from the same earth as Adam - they stood on equal footing. Lilith continually rebelled against Adam’s desires and was therefore banished from the Garden of Eden and cursed to be a demonic presence for all of eternity. The introduction to Lilith within my works can be viewed in Nocturnal Emissions, another piece from the series. As texts have described Lilith to be a night creature and akin to unclean animals such as owls, mice, and tortoises (in this case, turtles), Deposition of the Turtle Queen captures Lilith having recently claimed the Turtle Kingdom as her own. Comfortable in her new surroundings: a far cry from the beauty and splendor of the Garden of Eden, she is making do with what life has dealt her. A male figure is shown hovering in the background space. The painting marks the beginning of my foray into incorporating sculptural processes into my practice. The choice to break the rectangular picture plane was made in order to elevate visual drama by pushing the painting upward and outward.

CONGLOMERATE III:

The Conglomerate series are titled as such because they are an amalgamation of materiality and technique, generated using oil painting, 3D modeling & printing, gilding, and hydro-graphics. Upon completing my first works which incorporated manual sculptural processes, I decided to increase the fluidity of my sculptural work by exploring 3D modeling and printing methods. Furthermore, the incorporation of gold leaf reinforces the religious and artistic history that my work speaks to. I also wished to scale back the complexity of the painting to allow the sculptural elements to elevate the drama. Conglomerate III is a relatively simple portrait but still adheres to portions of themes and formal qualities found in my earlier work. The text found atop of the frame reads “Not beauty, but truth is to be admired.” This quote was taken from a cartouche found on a carved 16th century Florentine frame that originally housed a mirror. I incorporated this text into the Conglomerate series due to – what I felt at the time – was an excessive use of gold leaf within the work and my conflicted feelings about it. I also relate the quote to issues of contemporary painting as the term “honest painting” is regularly used to describe the work of a “Painter’s Painter,” something I am not, but once believed I wanted to be.

The Linda Matney Gallery, Landmark Art and Cultural Exchange Company and the Peninsula Fine Arts Center are collaborating on a series of events coming to the Hampton Roads area in February featuring six prominent Chinese artists. The exhibit brings artists from China whose work is not usually shown in the United States, to present a meaningful cultural expression and explanation of contemporary Chinese art, and to promote cross-cultural understanding and awareness through art and travel. These events will present a window into the contemporary art world in China and how art is interpreted through civilization.

Marketing is central to this community event. A collector’s catalogue will be published of the visiting artists and their art. An opening, and two “Art After Dark” parties at the PFAC, will feature bands, wine, food, and other entertainment. The Art After Dark event on February 15 will celebrate the Chinese New Year, with special activities planned to bring in the Year of the Dog. The show and related events will be announced on the radio, a massive internet campaign, and other media. At least one advance article will be published in a local paper. Over 2000 direct mailers will be sent to the membership lists of PFAC and of the Gallery, to assure strong attendance and excitement in the community. Private events and lectures will also be presented at Hampton Road Academy, and other locations to be announced.

Please consider supporting this exciting project bringing a dynamic collaboration and cultural exchange to Hampton Roads. These efforts support our love for Art and education, and they also provide opportunities for philanthropic growth and fundraising for the non-profit community.